Extensions for Company and Caroline, Or Change in the West End

Friday, 2nd Nov 2018

The latest shows to announce booking extensions in the West End have been revealed, with Company, which opened earlier this month, and Caroline, Or Change, which opens in November, both adding new dates at their respective homes. The two productions extend to new dates in 2019 and star some well known performers.

Company is the classic Stephen Sondheim musical that returns to the capital in a new form in 2018, with the main character changed from the male Bobby to the female Bobbi and played by the enormously talented Rosalie Craig. The story centres Bobbi’s relationships with five married couples and is explored through a series of vignettes featuring some acclaimed musical numbers. It also stars Patti Lupone, Mel Giedroyc, Jonathan Bailey, Alex Gaumond and Ashley Campbell, amongst a host of others.

This format has seen the shows win numerous Tony Awards and regular revivals around the world, ensuring that it retains fans globally that wish to see the new production in the West End.

And with that in mind it is no wonder this new production has extended already. It was originally only booking to December 2018 but it now adds new dates so that audiences can choose performances at the Gielgud Theatre up to Saturday 30th March 2019.

Meanwhile, Caroline, Or Change is yet to open its doors in the capital, with its debut occurring in the second part of November 2018. The show stars the popular Sharon D Clarke, recently seen in the opening episode of the new series of Doctor Who, and has clearly received plenty of buzz ahead of its start-date.

The show takes audiences to Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1963 and sees Clarke portray the titular Caroline, an African American maid working for the Gellman family, including the eight-year-old Noah. Whilst the boy reels from the death of his mother, he seeks solace in Caroline, but she also faces a legal and moral financial quandary during the course of the story.

It has extended at the Playhouse Theatre and is now booking to Saturday 6th April 2019.

Chris Packer

Chris Packer has been writing about the West End for many years and wishes this knowledge would help him win some pub quizzes. When he’s not writing about the newest shows he’s probably watching films or anticipating the latest releases.